Combined indicator and register.



y v G A'.WHITEH0RN'.

GQMBINED 'INDICATOR AND REGISTER.

l Sube/nto# TH: fungus PETER: cm, WASHINGTON, '12. c.

UNITED .s'rA'rEs PATENT oEiioE. f

ori-.ESTER A.. wHirEEoRN, or KENNEBEC, IOWA.

Noigsaisaf y.

T all ruiz/0m t may concern/ Be it known` hlt I, CHE's'rERV A. Wiiirn- HORN, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Kennebec, in the county of Monona, State of Iowa, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combined Indicator`` ance of the feed vattendant in `determining y what` quantity yof hay,is

t necessaryffor the completion of the bale. It is valso proposed'. to have the indicator register the total number of balesY produced and also lto provide for conveniently resetting the register whenever inafter ymore fully.' described,

' desired.

`With these and other objects in view` the present invention consistsin the combination and -arrangement of parts as will be herei shown in the' drawings, and particularlyv `thel appended claims, it being es in the form, Aproportion, size, and minor details may bemade.

scope of the claims without departaccompanying pointed out in within the V' ingfrom the spiritor sacrificing anyof the,

advantages of the invention.

Infthe drawings, Figure 1 is a view illus- "trating thepresent combined indicator and register applied in operative position'I upon a baling-press. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional i view of the indicator, taken through the front and back thereof. Fig. 3l is a front elevation' of the indicator with the face-plate removed.

j and a portion ofthe device inlsectionu, Fig.

., gagement with a bale.

4 is a plan view of the device section. Fig. 5 isa detail viewl illustrating one form of means for yieldably holding the drive spur-gear ofthe present device-inen- Fig. 6 is a similar view of another form of lmeans forthe same purpose. f .j v

Like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts ineach of the figures of the drawings.v j I In explaining the present invention I will firstdescribe the construction of the registering and indicating means and then describe the manner of. associating the device with abaling-press for actuation thereby.

with parts in v Specification` of Letters Patent. Epuration flied August 111. 1905'. serai No. 273.771".

. the successive Astages COMBINED INDLoAToR AND RE-GlsTER.

n Patented Dec."25, 1906i The case 1 for housing andvprotecting the several parts of the registering mechanism is of vany approved form, preferably rectangular and provided with a face-plate 2, hav- V"ing a lseries of sight-openings 3 formed theredicator wheels vor disks, (designated 4, 5, and

6,) ythe peripheries of saidwheels being pro-I theindex or indicator finger clearly indicates bale, whereby the 'feed attendant c an readily `deter-mine just what quantity of hay is required in the laststage of the completion of the bale. 1

As best indicatedin Figs. 2, 3, and 4, it will be seen that the shaft 8 4pierces the front and lback of the case 1 and adjacent its forward end is provided with an annular shoulder or collarr 9, which rotateswithin a keeper 1'0 to prevent endwise play of the shaft. vThe Vopposite end of this'shaft is reduced, as at 11, and fits loosely withina sleeve 12, which-'is provided at itsinnerend with a flange l13 and has its outer end provided with a head 14. There is a longitudinal slot 15' formed key 16 extends through the reduced portion 15. By this construction the sleeve 12 may be moved endwise uponthe shaft for a purpose which will behereinafter fully described. A largebeveled gear 17 is mounted to rotate loosely upon the shaft 9 adjacent the innery end :of lthe 'sleeve and is held against sidewise play by means' of the flange l13 of the sleeve and a collar 18, provided upon the shaft. A helical spring 19 vembraces the sleeve and bears against the pin 16 and the flange 13, so as to yieldably hold the t' latter against the hub of the gear, there-'being l avpiny or projection 2O upon the flange 13 to fit within a socket' in the adjacent end of the hub ofthe'gea'r, whereby the sleeve 12 constitutes a spring-actuated clutch member fto through the sleeve, and a diametric-pin or 11 of the shaft and is received within-the slotin to expose the peripheries of `a series ofinone end of the face-plate, so as to give sufficient room for the index or indicator of the completion of the IOS IIO

normally interlock the gear with the shaft for simultaneous rotation therewith. It will here be explained that the gear 17 constitutes the drive-shaft for the indicating and registering mechanisms and is controlled by the movement of the bale during the productionthereof in a manner as will be hereinafter described.

Upon the middle of the shaft 8 there is a worm 21, which meshes on its under side with a worm-wheel 22, carried by a shaft 23, disposed at substantially right angles to the shaft 8. One end of the shaft 23 carries a pinion 24, which is in mesh with a relatively large gear 25, carried by a shaft 26, disposed above and in substantially vertical alinement with the shaft 23. This gear 25 is provided upon its end face with an enlarged upper portion 27, which has a peripheral tooth 28 on the rim. At the other side of the shaft 8 and upon the shaft 26 there is a gear 29, which is in mesh with a gear 30 of the same diameter upon the shaft 23, the gear 29 being provided with a relatively deep notch 31. Upon the right-hand end of the shaft 26 there is a smooth wheel 32, which is provided with a eripheral tooth 33, the hub of the gear 32 being provided with a pinion 34 in mesh with a gear 35 upon the shaft 23. In front of and parallel with the shaft 26 there is a shaft 36, which carries the indicator-wheels 4, 5, and 6.

Each of the indicator-wheels is normally locked against rotation by an endwise movable latch member 37, having a stem portion 38, working through an opening in a guidebracket 39, there being a helical spring 40, embracing the stem and bearing against the bracket and the head of the latch, to yieldably hold the latter at its forward limit. As best indicated in Fig. 2, it will be lnoted that the latch-head 37 is provided with a longitudinal slot 41, through which the shaft 36 eX- tends, whereby the head end of the latch is supported on the shaft and is capable of moving transversely thereacross. The inner or rear end of the head is provided with a lateral tooth or projection 42, which engages with a toothed hub or pinion 43 on the adjacent register-wheel, so as to normally hold the latter against rotation. As best indicated in Fig. 2, it will be noted that the head 37 of the latch is adjacent one of the wheels on the shaft 26, the wheel shown in Fig. 2 being designated 27,. whereby when its peripheral proj ection 28 engages the latch it forces the latter rearwardly and moves its tooth 43 out of engagement with the hub of the indicatorwheel 4, whereby the latter is free to rotate.

As the projection 28 sweeps past the head of the latch it also takes into one of the notchesl or teeth Yof the pinion 43 on the registerwheel 4 and rotates the s ame for the space of one notch.' Justas soon'as the projection 28 clears the latch: 37, the latter is snapped back into its original position by the spring 40 and the tooth 42 again engages the pinion 43, and thereby locks the register-wheel 4 against rotation until the projection 28 on the wheel 27 is again brought into play.

When the device is in operation, one rotation of the drive-wheel 17 produces a single rotation of the shaft 8 and also a single rotation of the indicator-finger 7. As will be understood by reference to Fig. 2, the worinwheel 22 is arranged to make one rotation. for every ten rotations of the shaft 8, and the gear 35 and pinion 34 are proportioned so that the pinion 34 and the wheel 32 make ten rotations for each rotation of the gear 35. One rotation of the wheel 32 actuates the latch 37 and moves the indicator-wheel 6 one notch. to bring the next successive number into view through the adjacent sight-opening 3 in the front of theease, and when the shaft and gear 35 have made a complete rotation the wheel 32 will have made ten rotations and the indicator-wheel 6 will have made a coniplete rotation, thereby displaying the nunierals from O to 9. While the shaft 23 is making a complete rotation the gear 30 will also make a complete rotation, and as the gear 29 is of the saine size as the gear 30 said gear 29 will have .also made a complete rotation, which brings its projection 31 into play, so as to release the adjacent latch 37 and rotate the adjacent indicator-wheel 5 one notch, thereby to display the numeral 1 simultaneously with the nanght of the indicator-wheel 6, thereby disclosing the number 1 0. It will here be explained that the gear 30 is provided with a notch of a depth suiiicient to receive the relatively long projection 31, so

as not to interfere with the rotation of the members 29 and 30. One rotation of thel shaft 23 produces a single rotation of the pinion 24, which in turn moves the gear 25 only a part of the rotation, the gear 25 and the pinion 24 being so proportioned that it requires ten rotations of the pinion to produce a single rotation of the gear 25. As the wheel 27 is carried by the gear 25, said wheel of course makes one rotation for every ten rotations of the pinion 24, the projection 28 upon the wheel 27 being so arranged as to release the adjacent latch 37 and rotate the adj aeent indicator-wheel 4 one notch, so as to bring its numeral 1 into view simultaneously with the naughts of the other register-wheels.

For driving or actuating the register there is a counter-shaft 44 piercing the bottom of the register and provided upon its inner end with a beveled pinion 45 in mesh with the gear 17, these members being so proportioned that it requires ten rotations of the pinion 45 to make a complete rotation of the gear 17. The counter-shaft 44 is contained within a tubular sheath or case 46, which is connected to another tubular case 47 by an elbow 48. In the sheath or case 47 there is a shaft 49, which is connected to the counterlLJO IlO

tion.

s Fig. 1, wherein has shaft 44 by a helical spring 50 in the elbow `48. The shaft 49 is-of asuitablelength and is provided upon its outer end with a .spur 51,

designed to be actuated by the movement of a bale under litssuccessive stages of comple- I-n practice thepresent invention is applied to al baling-press in the been shown a conven tional form of press, (designated in `general 52,)the case 1 of the device being located in position to have its indicating or dial face .ex-

posed .to the view of the attendant, who feeds I the hay to the baling-chamber, and the shaft 'spur-wheel. 5,1' will of c y,through its direct ,contact with the bale, and through the medium` .of the several 'connec-f 51 and the indicator-iinger7 l lthe latter will be turned kin acc termine'just how. far the bale has beenc'ome 3o This indicating bursting of too 49 is' supported upon .thebaling-chamber in. such a manner as to have the teeth ofthe spur-,wheel 51 in cont act with the bale which is being produced. As the partially-comf pletedb. le is fed forward by thesuccessive operations Iof the plungers tions beween. the'sp'ungear cordance" with they completion of the bale, wherefore the feedl attendant can readily de-v pleted and how much of ay charge is .required atthe last stage of the completion of the bale. feature of the invention is a very important one, as it enables vthe feeder to 'place ,inv the baling-chamber just enoughl hay -tt producethe required size of bale, and..

therefore there isnodcsso'f wire -due to the large a bale, nordoes it be-v come necessary toadd pieces ofl Wire tothe ybale-band` to accommodate the band to an extra large bale, In addition to indicating the successive stages of the completion of each balethe registering mechanism maintains an exact record of the total number of e bales produced.

`f Should it be desired to reset the registering `mechanism' to Zero, all that is necessary is to draw outwardly upon the head or holder 14 of the clutch memberlZ, so as to draw the pin 20 of the latter out of engagement with the gear 17, thereby to render the latter loose upon the shaft 8, 4whereupon by rotating the the shaft 8 willbe rotated in a backward direction andall ofthe parts/of the recording mechanism likewise turned backward until all ofthe registeringwheels 4, 5, and 6 have One embodiment of means for holding the spur-gear against a `moving bale has been shown in `Fig. 5,wherein the sheath or case 6o 46 is embraced by a substantially U-shaped clip 53, the ends of which also passthrough the inner end of there being a filling-piece 55 interposed between the sheath and the inner end of the bar or plate 56,r interposed l gagement with a bale and a clutch mechanspringand ak cross manner lshown inv of the press the course Ibe rotated backward direction abowed or coiled spring 54,`

between said inner end of the spring and the nuts 57 upon the extremities of the clip. The free end of the spring extends upwardly in lrear of the clip and is connected by a suitable fastening 58 with the baling-chamber in such a'location as .to permit ofthe spur-wheel engaging the bale, as shownv in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

Another ymanner of supporting the spurwheel in `engagement with a bale has been shown in Fig.. 6, hereinfa helical spring 59 embraces the sheath vsupport 46, with one end fixed thereto by being hooked around a headedtprojectionor pin 60, 'carried by the sheath, the 'otherend of the spring being engaged with a projection 61 upon the elbow 48, and assaid elbowisswiveled upon the sheath 46 there will be a torsional strain upon the sheath-section 47, so as to maintain the spur-wheel in engagement with the bale.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is` 1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a case, indicating mechanism ycarried thereby, a tubular sheath carried by the case and including an elbow, drive-'shaft sections rotatable within the sheath, a flexible joint between the shaft-sectionsl and located in the elbow of the sheath, vand a clutch on the drive-shaft adapted to render the indi-I cating mechanism operative or inoperative.

2. lIn a baling-pressindicator, the combination, with a flexible sheath-inclosed main shaft7 cfa drive-"wheel loose thereon, indi- "cator'means connected with the shaft, and a clutch to interlock the wheel and shaft, said clutchl ybeing capable of being disengaged from the wheel and then turned to turn thel 'shaft andl reset the indicating means.

3. The combination with a baling-press, of an indicator located adjacent the feed-opening of the baling-chamber, a flexible and sheath-inclosed drive-shaft extending from the'indicator to a point adjacent the path of movement of a bale, and a drive-wheel car- IDO ried by the shaft and located in the path of a one side of thebale to rotate the shaft and operate the indicator and a clutch mechanism on the drive-shaft adapted to engage and c llisengagethe said vwheel thereto and thereom. I

4. The combination with a baling-press,` of an indicator having driving means for actuation by the movement of a bale during the progress of its completion, a spring for supporting the said driving means to yieldably hold the same against a bale and a clutch mechanism for rendering the driving means operative or inoperative. l f

5I The combination with a baling-press, of an indicator having driving means for actuation by the movementof a bale during the f ism for rendering the said erative or inoperative.

6. The combination with a fixed member, of an indicator having a drive-shaft including a fieXible joint, tubular case-sections housing the shaft, an elbow connecting the case-sections and housing the eXible joint, a drivewheel carried by the outer end of the shaft, means connected with the fixed member and to the outer case-section to hold the said drive-wheel yieldable in engagement with. the moving element and a clutch mechanism on the drive-shaft adapted to render the drivewheel operative or inoperative.

7. An indicator having a drive-shaft made "up of sections with a iieXible joint connecting the shaft-sections, tubular case-sections housing the shaft, an elbow carried by one of the case-sections and swiveled to the other section and housing the flexible joint, a' drivewheel carried by the outer end of the shaft, and means connected to the case for holding the wheel in engagement with a moving member and a clutch mechanism on the drive-shaft adapted to render the drivewheel operative or inoperative.

8. In an indicator, the combination with a main shaft, of a drive-wheel loose thereon, indicator means connected with. the shaft, and a clutch to interlock the wheel and shaft, said clutch capable of being disengaged from driving means opthe wheel and then turned to turn the shaft and reset the indicating means.

9. In an indicator, the combination with a case, of a drive-shaft, indicator means coni nected thereto, a drive-wheel loose upon the shaft, and clutch mechanism including an endwise-movable tube receiving one end of the shaft and piercing the case into accessible position, the tube and the wheel having a projection and socket-interlocking connection, the tube being provided with a longitudinal slot, and a projection carried by the shaft and Working in the slot, the tube capable of being moved outwardly to disengage the wheel and then turned to rotate the shaft and reset the indicating mechanism.

10. In an indicator, the combination with a case having its front provid ed with exposure-openings, a main shaft piercing the front of the case, an index-finger carried by the front end of the shaft and working over the front of the case, indicator-wheels geared to the shaft with their numbered peripheries exposed through the respective openings, a drive-wheel loose upon the shaft, and a clutch to interlock the Wheel and the shaft, said clutch having a portion piercing the back of the case into accessible position and capable of being rotated to rotate the shaft when disengaged from the wheel to reset the indicator-wheels.

1l. The combination, with a baling-press, of an indicator, a main shaft, a drive-wheel loose thereon for actuation by movement of the bale, a spring for supporting the drivewheel to maintain it yieldingly in engagement with the bale, a clutch on the main shaft to interlock the wheel and shaft., said clutch being capable of being disengaged from the wheel and then turned to turn tbe shaft and reset the indicating means.

l2. In an indicator, the combination with a iiexible main shaft, of a drive-wheel on the shaft adapted. to be connected. to turn therewith and to turn thereon, and a spring for supporting the drive-wheel.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature presence ofrtwo witnesses.

CHESTER A. VVHITEHORN.

Witnesses J. A. MEAD, M. A. MARLEY. 

